robbinsfan

When you order coffee at Starsucks, or a CC's Coffee House (If you've never had locally owned and operated Community Coffee here in Baton Rouge, you must work for Al Qa'eda), and you order a latte, and ask for one/two/three/an instant stroke's worth shots of espresso to be added, that's what you're getting...

My friend lived alongside a few Kiwi's and his older brother in Venice, Italy, with the harbormaster...He was responsible for the depth of the water in the city, from what I understand...The man was a raging alcoholic for about 6 months out of the year...Yet, no matter how yellowed his beard had become from cigarette smoking, nor how hung over this man would emerge from an alcohol induced haze out of, he always made time for his afternoon espresso...

They're usually served in tiny cups, and drank like a "black coffee", IE-no sugar, milk, creamer, sugar, or things of that nature...

Definitely puts a pep in your step in the AM...or anytime, for that matter...

Think Rick James during the Charlie Murphy years, sans crack addled mania...

zikzak

jpruitt10 wrote:Real Question for Coffee novice....
What does an espresso machine do a coffee maker doesn't?

A coffee maker pours water through the grounds.

An espresso machine forces water through the grounds at a specific temperature and pressure to extract more of the flavor. Since the entire process is about flavor, coffee fanatics are just like wine fanatics: They obsess over the details that control flavor, like the bean, the roasting conditions, the grind, temperature control, pressure control, shot timing, etc. An espresso machine can also come with a steaming wand for steaming the milk that goes into lattes and cappucinos. Of course, there's a whole science/art behind steaming milk, too.

Coffee snobs might turn up their noses at this machine because they want the precision and features that a $1500 machine has (just like cars, cameras, video cards, etc.). Someone like me probably couldn't tell the difference.

CrazyBear

An espresso maker is like a coffee maker which brews with hot water, but it is forced under high pressure. The coffee grounds must be grinded to a very fine powder. The crema (the end result of what comes out of the espresso machine) is chemically fragile since enough exposure to oxygen will lower the temperature and alter its unique flavor.

Espresso makers usually produce enough for a single shot (about 1 fluid ounce) which can be added to make specialized drinks like cappucccino, mochas, lattes, etc. Most espresso machines cannot make coffee, but there are some that can are both coffee maker and espresso maker in one.

seancarnes

just bought the big one on woot and it broke within 2 weeks of using it every day. I don't care because I called Breville and they are sending me a new one. They paid for the shipping and were cool about it, no hassel at all. I just recommend saving the box it came in but mine was warrantied for 90days.... It made great espresso for those couple weeks and I still like it.. I hope it comes home soon!

boehke

Espresso is a highly concentrated shot made from ground roasted coffee beans with three layers: the espresso, crema and supercrema. Crema is the thick, foamy layer on top of the shot, but don't confuse it with frother milk. Together, a shot or two of espresso and some steamed milk make what a cappuccino. If you buy this thinking you are getting a coffee machine, you are going to be disappointed. To produce a great espresso shot, you have to perfect using your machine. Each is different. You have to find the perfect temperature and keep your machine in that neighborhood by pulling water through it at the right time. You have to have the perfect grind on perfectly roasted beans. And, finally, you have to have the perfect tamp (about 30 pounds of pressure) on the grind inside your portafilter.

It's an ancient art. A science. If you get it right, and everything aligns, it should take 20 seconds or so to pull an ounce ... A God shot!

I've been at it a year, and haven't quite been to espresso heaven. A great shot doesn't taste bitter like strong coffee. It should have a myriad of flavor that lasts in the various spots of your palate for some time.

The pursuit of the perfect shot is the thrill of owning a great espresso machine.

Is the machine being sold here great? No. But, if you are just starting out or exploring espresso for the first time, this is a great deal. Unbeatable. My machine, a Francis! Francis! X5 cost $600. I wish I had found a deal like this to play with before graduating to the more expensive machine.

CrazyBear

boehke wrote:Espresso is a highly concentrated shot made from ground roasted coffee beans with three layers: the espresso, crema and supercrema. Crema is the thick, foamy layer on top of the shot, but don't confuse it with frother milk. Together, a shot or two of espresso and some steamed milk make what a cappuccino. If you buy this thinking you are getting a coffee machine, you are going to be disappointed. To produce a great espresso shot, you have to perfect using your machine. Each is different. You have to find the perfect temperature and keep your machine in that neighborhood by pulling water through it at the right time. You have to have the perfect grind on perfectly roasted beans. And, finally, you have to have the perfect tamp (about 30 pounds of pressure) on the grind inside your portafilter.

It's an ancient art. A science. If you get it right, and everything aligns, it should take 20 seconds or so to pull an ounce ... A God shot!

I've been at it a year, and haven't quite been to espresso heaven. A great shot doesn't taste bitter like strong coffee. It should have a myriad of flavor that lasts in the various spots of your palate for some time.

The pursuit of the perfect shot is the thrill of owning a great espresso machine.

Is the machine being sold here great? No. But, if you are just starting out or exploring espresso for the first time, this is a great deal. Unbeatable. My machine, a Francis! Francis! X5 cost $600. I wish I had found a deal like this to play with before graduating to the more expensive machine.

MicronXD

CrazyBear

Can you steam the milk and brew the espresso at the same time? I looked on their website and it looks like you can't.

But if you were making something that needed both, wouldn't the espresso cool down so much that it would be no good- or would you do the milk first and it keeps?

short answer: No

Freshly brewed espresso must be served and/or mixed with coffee immediately. Like I've mentioned before, it will quickly degrade with cooling and oxidation. As a rule of thumb, it must be served and enjoyed within 2 minutes after the espresso is made.

jwink

Can you steam the milk and brew the espresso at the same time? I looked on their website and it looks like you can't.

But if you were making something that needed both, wouldn't the espresso cool down so much that it would be no good- or would you do the milk first and it keeps?

I'm guessing this is the same mechanics of the "big machine" that I purchased a month ago. The answer is no, you can do one or the other. The really highend machines will let you do both at the same time.

jpruitt10

Freshly brewed espresso must be served and/or mixed with coffee immediately. Like I've mentioned before, it will quickly degrade with cooling and oxidation. As a rule of thumb, it must be served and enjoyed within 2 minutes after the espresso is made.

OK, so if you get this machine, and you have to do them seperately, what do you do to make sure the espresso doesn't degrade before putting it with steamed milk?

jwink

FInd the Alton Brown episode about making espresso, I did a quick search and couldn't find it. Its great for the newbies such as myself and found it very helpful. I'm sure someone will post it as they did on the die-cast unit forum. Here is a quick version: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5SnMPtqXMCU

lsie

BEWARE!! These Breville refurbished machines will leak! I am still waiting for my return from the last woot! Horrible! Buy something like this new from the store its worth the extra money to be able to return it.

pabst22

I have owned this espresso maker for about two years. I bought it from Macy's for $200 or so, but I think it retailed for $300. I bought it after a review on consumersearch that said it made the best espresso in its class, comparable to other machines that cost twice as much. I can't back that up, because I've never owned a more expensive espresso machine, but I have spent the past two years perfecting the art of amateur espresso making and I can assure you all this maker is worth every penny of $89. What it lacks is a powerful steamer, which means you have to sit there with the milk under the wand for longer and it's a little louder and so on. But I still get great froth and all that. When the better model came up awhile back I urged my friend to buy it and I made her first cup. It's definitely a better machine but only because of the wand, I think. The espresso quality was pretty similar. It just takes practice to get it right. Make sure you buy a burr grinder and grind your coffee only when you're about to make a cup. Pack it tight, and wipe any extra grounds off before you pull the shot. Oh, and purge it first. Make the espresso last, then dump it right into your milk/latte. I would take one of MY lattes made with this machine over just about any $3 cup of coffee, especially Starbucks. There are a few places that know how to make a better cup, but not many. Learn the craft!

boehke

You steam milk at a different temperature than making your esperesso. If you steam the milk first, you'd have to wait for the machine to cool a little before pulling your shot or risk burning the pull.

The steamed milk is hot enough to heat your shot back up enough for a cap. You shouldn't worry too much about degrading flavor when combining with steamed milk and milk froth.

Make the shot first. Then switch the machine to steam your pitcher of milk. You aren't steaming much milk, and if you do it right, it won't take long.

Here's a couple things I've learned:
1. Buy a steaming thermometer. It helps at first until you can feel the temperature your milk should be reaching by hand.
2. Pull your shots into double-walled air-insulated shot glasses if you are making any type of mixed coffee drink; cappuccino, Americano, etc. They keep your shots at the right spot longer than ceramic or stoneware.
3. Keep your empty frothing pitcher in the freezer. Steaming colder milk makes the froth better. You want foam, not bubbles. Microfoam, actually.

jwink

You steam milk at a different temperature than making your esperesso. If you steam the milk first, you'd have to wait for the machine to cool a little before pulling your shot or risk burning the pull.

The steamed milk is hot enough to heat your shot back up enough for a cap. You shouldn't worry too much about degrading flavor when combining with steamed milk and milk froth.

Make the shot first. Then switch the machine to steam your pitcher of milk. You aren't steaming much milk, and if you do it right, it won't take long.

Here's a couple things I've learned:
1. Buy a steaming thermometer. It helps at first until you can feel the temperature your milk should be reaching by hand.
2. Pull your shots into double-walled air-insulated shot glasses if you are making any type of mixed coffee drink; cappuccino, Americano, etc. They keep your shots at the right spot longer than ceramic or stoneware.
3. Keep your empty frothing pitcher in the freezer. Steaming colder milk makes the froth better. You want foam, not bubbles. Microfoam, actually.

This machine should purge the excess temprature after steaming, so you can steam your milk and then pull your shot (if you prefill the portafilter) within seconds of getting your milk to 160*. I put my pitcher on the warming on top of the machine tray to keep it at temprature for those few seconds.

PS--I'm up right now only because I made a double shot Capp just over two hours ago on the bigger die-cast version. The die-cast also has a larger water tank.

boehke

jwink wrote:This machine should purge the excess temprature after steaming, so you can steam your milk and then pull your shot (if you prefill the portafilter) within seconds of getting your milk to 160*. I put my pitcher on the warming on top of the machine tray to keep it at temprature for those few seconds.

PS--I'm up right now only because I made a double shot Capp just over two hours ago on the bigger die-cast version. The die-cast also has a larger water tank.

My machine might just be a little finicky. You can also purge some steam on your own (careful not to burn yourself, use a towel to catch the steam) to lower the temp.

The warming tray on my X5 is disappointing. It doesn't heat enough to keep anything warm, unless the machine has been on for about an hour. I work around it.

Don't tell anyone this ... but I sometimes cheat and use a separate milk frother. I think its an Au Lait?

I'm sitting here reading these entries and replies and I'm fighting the temptation to turn my machine on and have a double shot of Illy medium roast.

Do any of you use E.S.E. pods? I have a ton of them, all sealed, if anyone is interested PM me.

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